


Becoming Friends

by franscats



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:28:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21859822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/franscats/pseuds/franscats
Summary: Blair debates giving his new friend a Christmas gift.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 15
Collections: Drabble Day - due 23 Dec - Christmas Eve prompt





	Becoming Friends

**Author's Note:**

> This was done for the Sentinel Secret Santa prompt - Christmas Eve.

Blair glanced around his warehouse home and shivered. It was a great space but cold and damp in December. He had space heaters around the room to ward off the chill and upon coming in from outside moved about turning them on before dropping down onto his threadbare couch.

Tomorrow would be Christmas Eve and Blair was really hoping to see Jim Ellison. He had met the sentinel two months before and despite their very different backgrounds had developed something of a friendship.

Blair had spent some time debating whether or not to get a Christmas gift for Jim. For one thing he only knew Jim two months and for another as a teaching assistant he had limited funds but had finally decided to give Jim a gift that would reflect their shared sentinel connection.

He didn’t want the gift to be extravagant; he didn’t want to embarrass Jim by offering a gift that would require some exchange in response but he wanted a gift that would show how much he cared about their work together.

Pulling a small box out of his knapsack and opening it, Blair looked at the organic bath salts resting on a soft bamboo washcloth. The salts were delicately scented with just a hint of mint and would please rather than overwhelm Jim’s sense of smell. Beside it was a small bottle of chamomile oil, very good for rashes and itches and a bar of organic goat’s milk soap. Blair hoped these things would make Jim’s bathroom a haven after a day of exposing his senses to urban toxins.

Closing the box, Blair smiled and reached for wrapping paper. He would really have liked to buy something for each of Jim’s senses instead of just his sense of smell and touch but didn’t want Jim to feel uncomfortable about the gift.

He was finishing up the wrapping when his phone rang. “Hello,” he answered.

“Sandburg,” Jim’s voice was clear. “It’s Ellison.”

“Hi Jim,” Blair answered, an eye on the gift next to him. “How are you? Any problems?”

“Nothing I can’t handle.”

Blair knew he would have to find out what that meant but he couldn’t really interrogate Jim over the phone. “I could come over if you need help.”

“I’m okay,” Jim answered. “I took a couple of aspirin.” Blair could hear Jim pause a moment and then he went on. “Listen Sandburg, tomorrow’s Christmas Eve. I’m sure you’re busy but some of the Major Crimes gang will be stopping by for a drink after work and I…uh…wanted to invite you. Of course if you’re busy,” Jim finished letting the sentence hang in the air.

If Jim could see Blair’s smile, he would stop feeling uncomfortable. “That sounds great,” Blair answered enthusiastically. “What can I bring?”

“Nothing. It’s just going to be some drinks and hors d’oeuvres, some beer, cheese, wine – that kind of thing. It’s something my ex and I used to do when we were married and I’ve kept up the tradition. It’s my way of saying ‘Merry Christmas’ to my co-workers. They stop in on their way to wherever and we have a toast.”

“I think that’s really nice,” Blair answered. “I could come early and help you set up.”

“That would be great. I’ll see you tomorrow around five.”

… 

At five the next day, Jim opened the door and laughed. Blair was standing in the hall with a Santa hat askew on his head and a red and green scarf around his neck. Opening the door wider, Jim beckoned him in. 

“Merry Christmas, Jim,” Blair said before looking around. Jim had hung two wreaths on the balcony doors and had placed large red poinsettias on either side of the wood burning stove. Additionally, there were some red and green ornaments in a bowl on the dining room table. 

“I don’t do a lot of decorating,” Jim stated from behind Blair. “Even when I was married, Carolyn and I didn’t really have time for decorating. Maybe, if we’d had children we would have spent more time at it,” Jim shrugged.

Blair turned back to Jim and smiled. “Hey, I think having friends stop by speaks to the spirit of Christmas far more than decorations, man.”

Jim nodded and turned back the counter where he had been working. Glancing at the counter Blair could see that Jim was in the process of putting out foods and moved to help him place cheeses and crackers, sliced fruits and nuts, shrimp, Swedish meatballs, and finger sandwiches on the table. 

“I order some of the food from a little place down by the bay. I’ve been doing it every Christmas Eve for years. I left the beer and wine out on the balcony. If you want to bring in a couple of bottles you can help yourself to a drink.” 

“Thanks,” Blair answered and retrieved drinks as the first guests, Simon and Daryl, arrived.

Two hours later Blair helped Jim put away what was left of the food, the last guest having left twenty minutes before. Finishing, he reached for his backpack in the corner by the door and pulled out the small wrapped package, handing it to Jim. “Merry Christmas, Jim.”

Jim looked at the wrapped gift. “Thanks, Blair.” He took the package and walked over to the wood burning stove and took an envelope off the mantel, handing it to Blair.

“Jim you didn’t have to get me anything,” Blair protested.

“And you didn’t have to get me anything,” Jim countered, indicating Blair should open it. Inside was a gift certificate to a bookstore. Smiling, Blair began talking about the books he could buy as Jim opened his gift.

Looking at the contents of the box, Blair explained the significance of the items and Jim smiled before pouring two glasses of sparkling wine. Handing one to Blair, he held the other up and said, “To Friends,” and Blair nodded. 

They clinked glasses and before taking a sip Blair added, “Merry Christmas.”


End file.
